Lenora sat on the steps by the railing, gazing absentmindedly at the majestic river shimmering in the sunlight, unable to hold back the tears that kept falling.
Zachary had dealt a blow so fierce and unexpected that it felt as if her heart was shattering in pain.
She had never imagined that to be the case. A bet. How laughable. He's right. When I first arrived at the Fuller family, he didn't like me. Even when we got married, he didn't like me. So, why would I think that he would start liking me now? I was delusional, yearning for someone who didn't belong to me. I didn't know my place. How could Zachary possibly like me?
She could still recall Zachary's scrutinizing gaze when she first arrived at the Fuller residence, his aloof and superior response when she greeted him, and that piece of cake he had condescendingly given her.
He had always looked down on her, and he could never possibly fall for her.
Lenora had finally come to understand this at that moment.
Her teenage love, embellished by her subconscious, was like an illusion of bubbles in the sunlight. It shattered with a single touch and dissipated with the wind.
Just like that, Lenora spent the entire morning seated by the riverside.
The wind had long since dried her tears, leaving the skin on her face taut and her heart numb.
However, a call from her assistant served as a reminder that she had to return to the film set for shooting in the afternoon.
She only had the morning to nurse her sorrows.
The Earth continued to spin, and life had to go on.
No one was incapable of living without someone else.
Lenora quietly reassured herself. What does it matter if Zachary doesn't love me? There's no way I would die for him. Since I'm alive, I'll have to make the most of the days to come.
Lenora took a deep breath, pushing down the bitterness in her heart, and returned to the set.
When the makeup artist noticed her red and swollen eyes, she was angered to the point of gritting her teeth. The makeup artist immediately fetched an ice pack to provide Lenora with cold compression.
The weather was warming up, quickly transitioning into summer, yet the moment the rigid ice pack made contact with Lenora's skin, she inhaled sharply.
“Feeling cold?” the makeup artist asked.
“Yes,” Lenora replied truthfully.
“That's to be expected.”
Lenora gave an awkward smile.
After a while, Lenora's red and swollen eyelids finally subsided a bit. Coupled with the heavy makeup needed for the camera, it was no longer noticeable.
The afternoon was filled with the scenes between Lenora and the antagonist, a flashback of their shared past. It was a memory of a young Melody resisting the villain, only to fail and face severe punishment.
The longer the filming went on, the quicker Lenora immersed herself in the character.
Even though her mood was off that day, it didn't affect the filming.
Instead, the director watched the scenes unfold through the lens as she clashed with the villain. Her eyes, filled with unshed tears, and her shoulders, trembling with excitement, were captured in every shot. The final image of Lenora, alone and desolate in the water dungeon, was heartbreakingly poignant. Her expressions were filled with emotion, and the director couldn't help but heap praises on her.
Under Lenora's portrayal, Melody was far more than just a simple, mindless antagonist. She was as real as flesh and blood, a cunning little vixen who, despite inciting frustration, also invoked a sense of pity.
The director couldn't help but praise his own discernment to Kyle, who was standing next to him.
Kyle paid a visit and joined Tyler in front of the monitor. He nodded approvingly and said, “This Lenora truly has some talent. If I were to mentor her, she might just reach new heights.”
“Hey, what are you implying? Are you suggesting that I'm not capable?”
“I didn't mean that.” Kyle laughed it off, all the while thinking to himself. The leading characters you've created are so off-kilter. Once the show airs, it's bound to be a disaster.
Hence, Lenora was truly too ashamed to talk about it openly.
As Lenora spoke, Sophia's anger surged relentlessly, her teeth clenched in fury. “D*mn it, that Fuller is absolutely insufferable. How could he be so heartless? He even started betting during the trip. That's insane.”
Sophia thought. Back then, when Lenora had just lost her child, she was on the brink of depression during her confinement period. Moreover, that was also his child, yet he still had the mood to make a bet with Susanna, continuing to hurt Lenora. Had he ever considered what would happen if Lenora's depression worsened? Or could it be that he didn't care about Lenora's health and life? It's probably the latter. When Lenora was initially with Connor, Zachary disregarded Lenora's wishes entirely and schemed against Connor. Clearly, he had never respected Lenora, nor had he ever liked her. He was only interested in winning his bet. In pursuit of his own goals, he truly stopped at nothing. Not too long ago, Lenora was kidnapped and sold off. In a twisted attempt to earn her most profound gratitude, he had actually allowed Lenora to be taken! Had it not been for Lenora pushing Fabian off the bed, causing him to hit his head, Fabian would have succeeded. Zachary is just too inhumane. How could Lenora possibly outmaneuver someone like him?
Sophia held Lenora tenderly, comforting her, “Nora, you should see it clearly now. A man like him is worth your tears.”
“You're right. I understand,” Lenora said.
Logically, she understood that Zachary was far from a good man. Yet, deep down, she still felt a sense of melancholy and sadness.
However, she had faith in herself, confident that she could quickly pull herself together.
She was no longer the same Lenora who once regarded Zachary as her goal and motivation.
Even without Zachary, she would still continue to live her life well.
Ten days later, Lenora finished filming the final scene, marking the end of filming.
She had already given the director a heads-up not to prepare a wrap-up party.
The staff presented her with a bouquet of flowers, and Lenora took a group photo with the director and the rest of the crew. With that, her journey with the film crew had come to an end.
However, when Lenora was shooting her final scene, Kyle was also present.
Considering the issue with Gary, Kyle was afraid that Lenora might harbor resentment toward his film crew. He felt that it would be more sincere if he came in person.
After he congratulated Lenora on finishing her project, he asked, “Ms. Wilkin, do you have any availability coming up?”
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